Linked Events

  • THE KIDDERMINSTER KILLER: 21 July, 2018

Author Topic: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018  (Read 2458 times)

The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« on: 11 April, 2018, 07:43:02 pm »
The Kidderminster Killer is a classic on the audax calendar. It is now in its 29th year and the event was originally the inspiration of the legendary 'DP' or Dave Pountney.

Here are the stats:

Start/Finish: Belbroughton, north Worcestershire nr J4 of the M5
AAA: 3.75 AAA Audax Altitude Award Points
Distance: 214km
Controls: Acton Scott, Montgomery, Ludlow.
Info controls: 3
Hills: Many
Notable climbs: Wenlock Edge, The Burway (Long Mynd), Stiperstones, Kerry RIdgeway, Fiddler's Elbow nr Clun, Mortimer's Forest; Clee Hills.
Min/Max speed: 15/30kph

This is a toughie as KK veterans will confirm and should not be underestimated but it does pass across some spectacular and varied countryside through rural Worcestershire and Shropshire.

HELPERS;

If you are not willing to ride but would like to support the event. we are currently looking for volunteers to help with catering and marshalling at Belbroughton GHQ.

DETAILS AND ENTRY: http://beaconrcc.org.uk/audaxes/kidderminster-killer-clee-to-heaven/

FACEBOOK GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/expressaudax/
Organiser of Droitwich Cycling Club audaxes.  https://www.droitwichcyclingclub.co.uk/audax/

whosatthewheel

Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #1 on: 11 June, 2018, 05:20:12 pm »
Hi Phil,

I look forward to this.
is the first control manned or we have to spend money at the farm cafe'?
And in the latter case, would it be an acceptable alternative to get a receipt from a shop in Church Stretton instead? I am not overly keen to queue  half an hour behind families with screaming kids to get a receipt from what appears to be a family oriented attraction during school holidays...  ;D

Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #2 on: 11 June, 2018, 06:04:31 pm »
Hi Phil,

I look forward to this.
is the first control manned or we have to spend money at the farm cafe'?
And in the latter case, would it be an acceptable alternative to get a receipt from a shop in Church Stretton instead? I am not overly keen to queue  half an hour behind families with screaming kids to get a receipt from what appears to be a family oriented attraction during school holidays...  ;D

Hello.

Acton Scott is the only manned control.  Riders are provided with a voucher for a free tea or coffee. The controller usually sits outside in the garden subject to weather. So if you decided not to hang around, I guess you could donate your voucher to another rider.

Regards

Philip
Organiser of Droitwich Cycling Club audaxes.  https://www.droitwichcyclingclub.co.uk/audax/

whosatthewheel

Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #3 on: 11 June, 2018, 06:34:22 pm »
Excellent, thanks Phil!!

U.N.Dulates

  • aka John Hamilton
Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #4 on: 12 June, 2018, 07:57:42 pm »
I'll just add (as the controller for the last few years, but not this year as I'll be otherwise occupied with MC1K prep) that the cafe have got their act together and service is good, especially if all you want is a drink and a piece of cake or bacon sandwich type stop. And at the time of day that you're arriving you have the place almost entirely to yourselves, the farm has only just opened so you're well before any grockles are frequenting the place. So you certainly don't need to worry about queuing amongst screaming hordes of kids.

whosatthewheel

Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #5 on: 22 July, 2018, 06:59:41 am »
hard... so hard.. made harder by the horrific state of many lanes. Hardest 200 in the calendar?

Predictably there was a long queue at the farm cafe', so we decided to stop in Church Stretton instead, where there is a lovely bakery. Burway was awesome... on the return leg I had a bit of a nightmare with a tyre going soft, that somehow kept puncturing any tube I put in... need to investigate what's in it.
Anyway, pumping it up every 10 km or so, I made it back more or less in good time.


U.N.Dulates

  • aka John Hamilton
Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #6 on: 22 July, 2018, 12:39:10 pm »
Welcome to Shropshire. Expect the road conditions weren't helped by Friday nights rain, but the KK roads are far from the worst on offer in the county. And if you think Shropshire lanes are bad, just go to Herefordshire... ;D

whosatthewheel

Re: The Kidderminster Killer - 21st July 2018
« Reply #7 on: 22 July, 2018, 12:51:03 pm »
Welcome to Shropshire. Expect the road conditions weren't helped by Friday nights rain, but the KK roads are far from the worst on offer in the county. And if you think Shropshire lanes are bad, just go to Herefordshire... ;D

I have done Paris-Roubaix a couple of times, I don't mind the bad or terrible surface if you can see where you are going... it's more about riding downhill on lanes which are 3 meters wide at best, with high hedges preventing any visibility and broken surface behind every corner, deep gravel everywhere... or a herd of cows behind the corner as it happened.
That combined with the sheer number of 15% downhill-90 degree right bend-hole surrounded by gravel-15% uphill... by the time we reached Clun we had lost the will to live...  ;D

Of well, at least I seem to have found the cause of my sequence of slow punctures... the smallest of thorns, almost invisible... probably made of stainless steel, judging by how easily it went through a new Durano tyre